The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to rotors for rotor craft use. More specifically, the subject disclosure relates to on blade heaters for rotor craft.
Electrical heaters have long been used as deicers or ice-prevention mechanisms on aircraft, in order to prevent excessive ice accumulation on wing or other fixed surfaces of the aircraft, such as engine cowlings, as ice accumulation can have negative, in some cases catastrophic, effects on aircraft performance.
Heaters for rotating components, such as helicopter rotor blades have been used with some success, but the cyclical forces applied to the heaters due to the rotation increases fatigue on elements of the heater, which can result in failure of the heater.